The Netherlands count an estimated 60.000 bands, that all want to perform on a regular basis and all want some acknowledgement by the local crowds. LOAD is based in Meppel and with their second album ‘Flames In Seconds’, they take the next step in getting their music out there.

It all starts somewhere… every band will remember the first period of it’s existence. After deciding that starting a band sounds like a good idea, thoughts of ‘glamourland’ enter the heads. Dreams are unlimited, but besides the joy of playing and practising, soon after the start, there had to be spoken about musical directions and a proper time-plan.

LOAD took the wise decision to just go for it. First focus was the nearby region, where pubs, cafés and local festivals were a good start to get their name out and develop their performance-skills. The first CD ‘Disirous’ (2004) helped getting attention and shows. In 2009 it was time for LOAD to take the next step. With the intention to ‘just make a good rock-album’ that would help them further, they entered the studio to record ‘Flames In Seconds’.

The first impression is good. The cover with the two eagles looks nice. The first tones of ‘Goodbye’ sound good too, a solid rockriff draws attention, as does the fast solo-guitar that lightens up the sound. After 50 seconds female vocalist Annalies joins the boys. The combination of heavy rock and female vocals gives me some quick thoughts about Barnabas and Rosanna’s Raiders back in the 80's. With the side-note that Nancy Jo (Barnabas) and Rosanna (Rosanna’s Raiders) used higher voice-regions, but stylewise I’m not far off. ‘Sin’ follows in the same vain, but ‘Runnin’ Away’ starts showing different musical elements. Half the song has clean guitar-sounds, before distortions jump in full-power. ‘One Day’ has the same trick, and that’s for the first time that I think the guitars sound ‘cheap’, especially in the clean parts. As if the band used their own practise-equipment, instead of good studio-material. A clear mind tells me that that indeed is most likely the case too…

While ‘Anything But’ and ‘Destruction’ still bring powerful heavy rock, it’s clear that the band also explores their chances on poppy-rock-melodies. They are woven into ‘What Comes Around’, ‘Sometimes’ and ‘Fallen’. Unknown for foreign Mauce-readers, but here is a huge comparison to some of Hollands best rock-acts: Anouk and Krezip.
Overall I must conclude that LOAD is clearly making sense. They don’t over-haste anything and take life one step at the time. Their tour-history counts over 80 shows already and ‘Flames In Seconds’ will definitely add a dozen more. It’s up to LOAD now to decide what they want for their future. If they have a ‘fulltime-band-dream’ with international successes then they should get a bigger studio the next time, with a better producer, maybe a keyboard-player for necessary extra melodies and groove. And most of all… a bit more use of dynamics.

But…! If LOAD is happy with a couple of shows a month, a slowly but steadily growing fanbase and a non-music-life on the side, than they are on the right course. I would still suggest a bigger studio and more dynamics though. Diversity is already in the songs, but try to expend it. Challenge Annalies to try other vocal approaches too, to prevent yourself from becoming monotonous. And in the meantime… keep enjoying every minute of the hobby-bandlife. Embrace that joy, share it on stage and keep putting it in your songs. Good luck!  (Written by Hans van Vuuren, April 2010) 

RATING
7-/10

BANDMEMBERS
Annalies Groen – Vocals
Freek Gielen – Guitar
Pieter Dingerdis – Bass
Wouter Bakker - Drums

TRACKLIST
01 Goodbye
02 Sin
03 Runnin’ Away
04 One Day
05 What Comes Around
06 Destruction
07 Anything But
08 Sometimes
09 Fallen
10 Wake Up Call
11 Control

DISCOGRAPHY
2009 Flames In Seconds
2004 Disirous

LABEL
None (Distribution through Rock Inc)

WEBSITE
www.load-music.nl / www.myspace.com/loadspace